Inspired by a recent discussion on this message board (thank you for the idea!), I've put together a new ebook called Professor Cocktail’s Zombie Horde: Recipes for the World’s Most Lethal Drink that will be publishing in two weeks (October 8th) with Amazon.com.

Here's what Tiki legend Sven Kirsten had to say about it:

"Good (Tiki) god! I had no idea there are so many new versions of this potion out there -- and most by reputable bartenders. A good thing that someone collected them all, or else there would have to be a mid-21st century Jeff Berry (a "Son of the Beachbum"?) to dig all THOSE up! Zombie Horde will give the drink a whole new level of recognition. The Zombie is ALIVE!"
--Sven Kirsten, author of The Book of Tiki and father of the modern Tiki revival

And here's the complete description:

One of the world’s most sublime drinking pleasures, the Zombie is the cocktail that launched a thousand Tiki bars. A sweet and sour mélange of citrus, spice, and lots of rum, the Zombie stands as one of the most significant cocktail creations of the past century. Invented by Don the Beachcomber in 1934, it took the world by storm, and soon became the quintessential Tiki drink. Often imitated but never duplicated, the Zombie appeared on the menu of thousands of bars and restaurants around the world.

In this debut book by David J. Montgomery, Professor Cocktail leads you on a journey through the history of the Zombie, starting with its humble beginnings in Hollywood, and following it as it evolved and spread over the decades.

Zombie Horde includes recipes from notable bartenders like Trader Vic, David Embury, Salvatore Calabrese, and Dale DeGroff, as well as the formulas for the Zombies served at famous Tiki joints like the Tonga Room in San Francisco, Mahiki in London, and the Luau Room in San Diego. It also includes recent cocktails that were inspired by the Zombie, with offerings from Martin Cate (Smuggler’s Cove), Brian Miller (Death & Company), Allan Katz (Caña Rum Bar), Brian Dressel (Midnight Cowboy), Frank Cisneros (Bourgeois Pig Brooklyn), Joseph Swifka (La Descarga), and Audrey Saunders (Pegu Club).

To top it all off, Zombie Horde showcases three brand-new drinks -- from Jim Meehan (PDT), Tom Brown (Hogo), and Jeff Kinder (Distil) -- that are appearing in print for the very first time.

About the Author

David J. Montgomery mixes his love of history and alcohol into one potent concoction through his work at ProfessorCocktail.com. He is also a nationally renowned book critic and commentator on writing and the publishing industry. Mr. Montgomery is an emeritus columnist for the Chicago Sun-Times and The Daily Beast, and has written for USA Today, The Washington Post, Philadelphia Inquirer, and other fine publications. His short fiction has appeared both online and in print. A former Professor of History, he lives in the Washington, D.C. suburbs with his wife and two daughters.

I just counted them up and there are currently 80 recipes. (There might be a few more coming in.) It's enough to get a body buzzed for the better part of a year.
_________________David J. Montgomery
Professor Cocktail

Congratulations Professor Cocktail! I am looking forward to this one. . . my liver somewhat less so. _________________"If you keep on drinking rum, the world will soon be quit of a very dirty scoundrel."
Robert Louis Stevenson

Adam, I just confirmed with Georgi Radev that the recipe for Mahiki's Zombie is appearing here in print for the first time -- including the list of 7 rums that go into their "Mahiki Grog," which forms the basis for their Zombie.
_________________David J. Montgomery
Professor Cocktail

This sounds great. I'm a big fan of the Zombie so it will be interesting to see so many different recipes in the one place. I'm not a fan of grapefruit or maraschino so any versions that i've tried that has either one of those i haven't enjoyed but with 80 recipes to choose from i'm sure there will be plenty of them that do not use those ingredients at all.

I think one of the very first Zombies i ever tried when i first became interested in Tiki culture and cocktails was the recipe that can be found in David Embury's book 'The Fine Art Of Mixing Drinks'.

P.S. Will this only be available as an ebook or are there plans to release a hardcopy version at some stage?

I'm only anticipating an ebook at this point, but we'll see how it goes. The ebook will be available on multiple international Amazon sites, if you don't have a tablet, you can get the Kindle app for your PC.
_________________David J. Montgomery
Professor Cocktail

On 2013-09-25 17:32, djmont wrote:Adam, I just confirmed with Georgi Radev that the recipe for Mahiki's Zombie is appearing here in print for the first time -- including the list of 7 rums that go into their "Mahiki Grog," which forms the basis for their Zombie.

Im intrigued - I couldn't put my finger on what one of the tastes from their Zombie was but it seemed so familiar, it'd be good to recreate it at home!

If the book seems to generate enough interest to justify it, I'll investigate having a print edition put together. The problem is that it would likely cost so much that few people would buy it.

You don't need an ereader or tablet to read Kindle books, though. You can also read them on a computer or most smartphones. (Not always ideal, I realize...But better than nothing, maybe.)
_________________David J. Montgomery
Professor Cocktail

Just got another great blurb for ZOMBIE HORDE, this one from author Philip Greene.

“A thoroughly researched, dare I say exhaustive, compendium of this immortal (pun intended) and classic cocktail. It's a drink like the Zombie that makes it impossible for me to reconcile my vocation (trademark attorney) with my avocation (cocktail geek). Indeed, in no other field do you find such rampant disregard for the sanctity of a name. But there is great chaos under the cocktail heavens and, as Zombie Horde so ably shows, the situation is excellent. Highly entertaining! Hats off to Professor Cocktail, Corpse Compiler No. 1!”
--Philip Greene, author of To Have and Have Another: A Hemingway Cocktail Companion and co-founder of The Museum of the American Cocktail
_________________David J. Montgomery
Professor Cocktail

Here's what Wayne Curtis, author and contributing editor at The Atlantic, has to say about Professor Cocktail's Zombie Horde:

"The Zombie's family tree is immense, gnarly, and (in parts) wholly fabricated from unnatural elements. Also, it has many dead limbs. Professor Cocktail has done us all a favor by taking on the pruning, grafting, and fertilizing, and by eschewing all topiary embellishment. A great addition to your cocktail library."

--Wayne Curtis, author of And a Bottle of Rum: A History of the New World in 10 Cocktails